Generally speaking, it takes a political junkie to get excited about a vice-presidential debate. Sure, showdowns between candidates can be interesting, and occasionally they become truly significant after the fact if some defining moment — “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy” — ricochets around the media. But if anyone can find a voter who changes his or her mind based on which No. 2 argued better, make that person an exhibit at the Smithsonian.

That said, in Danville, Ky., on Thursday night, Joe Biden will participate in the second vice-presidential debate in a row to draw an unusual amount of interest. Four years ago, the ratings for Biden’s showdown with Sarah Palin were higher than those for any of the presidential debates. (The night is perhaps best remembered for Palin’s repeated winks at the camera.) This time, interest is running higher than normal thanks to the sense that Mitt Romney’s thumping of Barack Obama in the first presidential debate blew a hole in the Obama campaign’s hull. Suddenly, one debate seems capable of reshaping the race, and suddenly the Obama team needs a shift in momentum. And while Paul Ryan may be no Sarah Palin, he is among the more polarizing running mates in history, sure to draw a surplus of both admirers and haters.

Ryan plan vs. Obama record. Count on Biden going hard after the Ryan plan, the House budget document for which his opponent is famous (Obama once said it contains a vision of “social Darwinism”). During a recent campaign swing to Florida, Biden warned seniors that the Medicare-reform component of the Ryan plan, which Romney has adopted, would “fundamentally change Medicare. They’d turn it into a voucher program.” (Biden usually doesn’t note that, under the plan, seniors can remain in traditional Medicare if they want.) We’re likely to hear the same on Thursday night. He’ll try to pin down Ryan — more effectively than Obama did Romney — on the elusive details of the Romney-Ryan tax-reform plan. And he may repeat past assaults on Ryan for votes he cast in Congress that increased the national debt.

For his part, Ryan will parry on Medicare by noting Obamacare’s $716 billion in cuts to the program. Then he will light into the Obama Administration’s jobs record and the growing national debt. (Ryan’s campaign events often feature a large digital debt clock ticking away above the stage.) He’s likely to taunt Biden for recently turning $1 trillion in new taxes on the wealthy into an applause line. And on foreign policy, Ryan seems primed to make Biden squirm over new revelations about the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi and to make the larger argument that U.S. foreign policy is “unraveling” worldwide.

Does experience matter? If Ryan goes after Biden on foreign policy, he’ll be staging an assault on the Vice President’s turf. Biden is a true foreign policy expert who, if only by dint of experience, could likely talk circles around his 42-year-old budget-focused foe. Biden will want to show off the depth of his knowledge — and put Ryan on the spot if possible — without seeming to talk down to his opponent. (The debate moderator, ABC News national-security reporter Martha Raddatz, is also likely to ask tough foreign policy questions.) Ryan, on the other hand, might turn Biden’s experience against him, noting that Biden has been in Washington 26 years longer than Ryan, presenting himself as a tribune of fresh, new ideas. And if Biden leans heavily on the killing of Osama bin Laden, Ryan might remind Biden that he advised Obama against undertaking that mission.

Working-class heroes. Biden and Ryan will compete to be the true champion of blue collar America. Biden takes special pride in his Scranton, Pa., Catholic roots — and he can lyricize about the working man better than almost anyone else in American politics. (How many of those hard-working stiffs will be tuned in to this debate instead of the baseball playoffs is another matter.) Biden is likely to deliver a rousing account of Obama’s auto-industry bailout, for instance. But Ryan will fight for the same piece of turf. On the stump, he has been playing up his small-town Wisconsin roots and cultural conservatism (he tries not to spotlight the fact that he’s also a millionaire). Ryan likes to remind voters of Obama’s 2008 riff about voters who “cling to guns or religion,” then declare, “I’m a Catholic deer hunter — guilty as charged.” By many accounts, Palin managed to out-populist Biden in 2008.

The gaffe factor. No discussion of a Joe Biden appearance could be complete without noting that there’s no telling what might happen anytime the man speaks extemporaneously for an extended period of time. Democrats can take comfort, however, in the memory that his debate with Palin as well as his many 2008 Democratic primary debates were largely Bidenism-free. As for Ryan, he’s a far more disciplined speaker, though we’ve seen recently that he can founder under pressure. And as Dan Quayle learned, you can lose a vice-presidential debate simply by being on the receiving end of a great zinger. Biden’s got some of those too. Which could make things entertaining for whoever is actually watching the debate undercard.

I just read Halperin's comments about the Veep debates. I do not think a draw will cut it. I want Biden to "slaughter" Ryan. I hope he does expose Ryan. Ryan has been practicing yes, but he is a FAKE and unwonky bottom of the ticket LIAR. I want him pounded by Biden. Biden is consistent, and I know he can deliver.

In addition, I want to know why MSNBC is having Schmidt on the panel. He started the panic over Obama performance in the last debate. I wish someone else could take his place.

Why does the image of Ryan look so horrible? I mean, it looks as if work has been done (bad lighting like what happened to McCain) compared to Biden? It looks as if he lit from directly overhead which causes shadows under the eyes and more menacing look like OJ's famous picture. The image also appears to have the clarity turned way up which brings out every single pore in the face. As with Biden he looks more youthful for his age than Ryan who is nearly 20 years younger.

Here we go. Another political debate. VP vs VP contender. After the no-show by President Obama in his debate, this will probably be the most watched VP debate in American history. But will it be Biden against Ryan or Biden against Biden? Can Ryan back off because Biden is self-checked? Some say they prepared Biden by telling him that if he gets through without putting his foot in his mouth, he should just try to hold the ball and let the clock run out.

Perhaps you're right but this one will be close. Biden's gaffes are notorious and some can be overlooked (also true of Palin). But Biden's latest: “put y’all back in chains” was it for me. Disgraceful, divisive, dishonest, deceptive, etc...

SC, nothing I have said is a theory. They are facts. Ryan has talked extensively about them. I don't watch MSNBC btw. I don't watch Fox either. Ryan has spent the last couple of years talking about his tax cuts and his proposed changes to Medicare in his budget. His own proposals are theories and not what he believes and tries to sell? What are they then?

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Ryan did co-sponsor with Todd Akin legislation that didn't provide exceptions for incest or rape. Ryan has distanced himself from Akin, not the legislation he co-sponsored. Ryan provides his own talking points. he calls them his ideas. I'm sure you are fully aware of his proposals though.

Or, infamous, egregious, outrageous, arrant, flagrant, disreputable. Consider the top ten for starters. One can only imagine what is not recorded!

Really, how many outside the punditry class or people who are into politics knows about anything Biden says? I mean the myth is that Biden says these things but I bet there are few that can name one of the things.

I hear you Sacrech, Biden's verbal trips makes people laugh (and some cringe) but they don't imply anything policy wise. Unlike the idiotic stuff that Akin said, that Sarah Palin said and what Paul Ryans wants to do.

And that's the differense; there's not one single policy born out of the stuff Bidens says. There's plenty that is legislated or tried to become legislation based on the moronic slime coming from others.

Biden's gaffes may not be as damaging as Ryan's truths. Is Ryan going to be honest about how badly his budget would screw over seniors? Is Ryan going to be honest and admit that he co-sponsored with Todd Akin legislation that would outlaw abortion with no exception for incest or rape? Will Ryan be honest and admit that his tax cuts for the wealthy would burden the middle and lower classes? Will Ryan be honest and admit that his proposal for medicare vouchers will cost seniors thousands?

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The truth doesn't always set you free. Sometimes it can lose a debate.

Perhaps "widely and unfavorably known" Or, infamous, egregious, outrageous, arrant, flagrant, disreputable. Consider the top ten for starters. One can only imagine what is not recorded! http://blog.chron.com/txpotoma...

Reagan had the ex CIA guy, Bush the elder, essentially run the WH while Ronnie smiled and was given avuncular stories to tell the gullible public as he sank into senility. Bush the dumber had what people referred to as "the most powerful VP in history' - translated- the shadow Pres., Cheney.

The money boys foisted Ryan upon Willard, so they can have their own WH Trojan Horse to do their bidding, as they eviserate the social safety net. By now this has become a GOP tradition.

Honestly, I don't see the parallel. As little respect as I have for Romney, I have to admit that Romney:Ryan>Reagan:HWBush, and sure as heck is >WBush:Cheney. I seriously doubt Ryan would be calling the shots in a Romney White House. The problem is that after 6 years of campaigning, I still have no idea what shots Romney would call in a Romney White House.

I'm sorry, but I'll take Reagan/Bush over any Republican ticket since. Reagan, for all his rhetoric, was a practical politician who left women's rights alone, raised taxes when necessary, and beat it out of Lebanon when it became unbearable. I wish he were running today, and boy does that say a lot about my view of Romney.

Who is this Whitehousecover clown, for crying out loud?? Look here buddy, you might be on the wrong site. For conspiracy theories, you might want to meet with with Jack Welch, Trump or even Palin. This is not the best place to hawk aluminum hats either. Jeesh!!

@MediaCoverUpExposedHere:disqus A record of going after America's enemies and actually succeeding. Mary answered I'm in shock that any one can earn $958O in 4 weeks on the network. did you look at this...NDOQESB.Tk